Socket for vacuum tubes or the like



C. A. FRIEDRICH SOCKET FOR VACUUM mass on THE LIKE Filed Deb. 9. 1921 gain Patented Aug. 19, 1924.

MT 15* st CHARLES A. FRIEDRICH, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

SOCKET FOR VACUUM TUBES OR THE LIKE.

Application filed December 9, 1921. Serial No. 521,083.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES A. FRIED- like, of which the following'is aspecifica tion.

The present invention relates to electric sockets particularly for vacuum tubes used in electric wireless apparatus.

Since the introduction of the three elec trode vacuum tube" into Wireless apparatus as receiving and transmitting device, it has been found that outside vibrations transmitted through the tube socket to the vacuum tube proper are very detrimental to tubes, as a result of which the different electrodes are thrown into contact with each other, thereby disturbing their function and practically rendering the vacuum tube valueless. i I

Various deviceshave been constructed toabsorb such outside vibrations and shocks but most ofsuch devices are too cumbersome and not sufiiciently sensitive. Besides, such devices require too much valuable space in wireless apparatus.

' In order to overcome these inconveniences, inefiiciencies and drawbacks, I have constructed a novel vacuum tube socket'which is equipped with means for absorbing outside vibrations, shocks, etc., and which is adapted to occupy comparatively small space.

With this object in'view, my invention consists in that contraryto the existing sockets in which contact with the prongs of the vacuum tube'is effected in an indirect way through the medium of plate springs or the 7 like, my new socket is provided with shock absorbing direct contact producing means,

which will support the tube so as to hold it yieldingly and out of physical touch with the socket proper, and thereby rendering the socket very effective in the transmission anddistribution ofcurrent through the different electrodes and preventing injury to or disturbance of the functions'of said electrodes through shock or outside vibrations.

My invention will be more fully understood by reference to the accompanying drawing in which similar reference characters denote corresponding parts, and in which, Fig. 1 is an elevation of a vacuum tube equipped with my novel socket; Fig. 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the socket proper; Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4C is an enlarged perspective view of a terminal arm carrying a coil forming part of my novel socket; Fig. 5 is a similar section to Fig. 3 of a part of the socket somewhat modified; Fig. 6 is a section on line 66 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a similar section to Fig. 5 of a further modification of the socket, and Fig. 8 is a section on line 88 of Fig.7.

Referring to the drawing'more in detail a denotes the bulb ordinarily called the vacuum tube and generally used in wireless systems for receiving or sending purposes. In this tube P denotes the so-called plate made in form of a sleeve which encloses the grid G and filament F, the grid, filament and plate being insulated from one another and conductively connected to the leads F, F, G and P, which pass through the in sulation stem S and connect with wires W, leading to the contact pinsor prongs C projecting from the metal frame or sleeve a of the tube.

With the hitherto used construction electric connectionbetween the electrodes of the vacuum tube and the wireless system is brought about by means of a socket having the usual terminals for the attachment of the electric wires and contact pieces, usually plate. springs, with which the prongs are adapted tov make indirect contact. Such socket forming part of the wirelessapparatus is usually fixed t0 astationary structure, wall, desk or the like. When the tube is engaged in such socket it forms with it a rigid piece, so that shocks or vibrations cause by outsidenoises and communicated to the structure are transmitted to the tube as avresult of which the different electrodes, the plate, grid and filaments, will be thrown into contact with one another, become injured rendering the tube valueless or will transmit out side noises and disturb the transmission of messages or the like.

The socket 10 according to this invention, comprises a disk of insulation material hollow as at 10" and open at itsbottom and through facilitate the passage of the prongs.

perforations 10. At its bottom the disk is formed with radial grooves 10 through which extend metal arms 11 forming the terminals for the electric wires (not shown).

These arms are held in position by screw bolts 12 fixed in the disk. There are as many perforations as there are prongs or pins C, thus in the present case four, and the same are arranged to re ister with and made somewhat wider than tie diameter of said prongs so that the latter may freely pass said perforations. Arranged in the hollow 10' of the disk are sockets 14 made according to the structure shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of coiled spring wire, such as copper. These sockets are suitably secured in upright position to the inner ends of the terminalarms 11 to extend close to the inner face of the top of the disk and to register with the perforations 10 therein. For fastening said coils in position to the arms 11 short screw bolts 13 are riveted or otherwise fixed to the latter and onto which the coils are threaded like nuts. The screw bolts will engage only a few of the lower windings of the coils leaving the major portion of the latter flexible, so that the same may yield in different directions. The coils 14 are in diameter so admeasured as to snugly engage around the prongs C passed through the perforations 10 of the disk, and thereby not only hold the tube securely in position but also form an effective contact. A few of the stop windings 14. of said coils are somewhat widened to facilitate the passage of the prongs into the coils. In length the coils are so admeasured that the prongs when en aged will not extend to the inner ends oft escrew bolts 13, and owing to the spring force of the coils, the tube will be held at an elevation from the upper face of the disk creating, a free space between the bottom of the metal sleeve a and the disk sufficient to prevent physical contact and thereby the transmission of shocks or vibrations from the socket to the tube.

' Of course, instead of coils other shock absorbing means may be employed.

Thus according to Figs. 5 and 6 resilient or spring rods 15 may be fixed to the terminal arms at 15 and provided at their upper ends with split cup shaped members 16 serving to engage the prongs C. The'mouth portion of said members may be widened to 1", splitting the members longitudinally the lat ter will be made to fit various thicknesses of the rongs or to adapt themselves to irregu arities thereof.

Another modification is shown in Figs. 7 and 8. There semicylindrical or trough shaped members 18 are hinged at 18 to resilient pins or rods 17 fixed to the arms 11 as at 17'.

By hinging the members 18 to the rods or to prevent failure of effective contact between the prongs C and said members 18 by reason of irregular shapes or bends occuring in the prongs.

Owing to the flexible support of the contact members, such as the coils 14, the cups 16 or troughs 18 the engagement of the prongs C therewith will be insured even though the latter may not be properly spaced due to some fault in the manufacture, or may have been accidentally bent.

The metal sleeve a is usually provided with a pin or projection K. This pin is utilized in the present construction of the socket to facilitate the positioning of the vacuum tube relative to the socket 10. On the upper face of the socket an arrow (see Fig. 2) is marked indicating the position of the pin K when inserting the'tube, so that the wires may be properly connected to the corresponding electrodes. The latter may be marked, as shown, on the disk opposite the terminals.

There may be other modifications made by those skilled in the art without departing from the principle of my invention. 1, therefore, do not wish to restrict myself t the details shown and described.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is j 1. In a socket for a vacuum tube having rojecting contact members, an insulation ase, terminal members fixed to said body 100 and universally yielding sockets conductive ly connected to said terminal members and adapted to engage said contact members, so as to support the vacuum tube out of physical contact with said base.

2. In a socket for vacuum tubes having contact prongs, a hollow insulation base having in one of its faces perforations for the free passage of said prongs, terminal members fixed to the opposite face of said base 110 and projecting into the hollow thereof, and universally yielding sockets conductively connected to said terminal members and adapted to engage said prongs soas to support the vacuum tube at an elevation from and out of physical contact with said base.

3. In a socket for a vacuum tube or the like having contact prongs, a hollow insulation base having perforations in one of its faces for the free passage of said prongs, terminal members fixed to the opposite face of said base and projecting into the hollow thereof and sockets of coiled flexible wire carried by said terminal -members 'within the hollow of said base and capable of e'ngaging said contact prongs, so as to support said vacuum tube at an elevation from and out of physical contact with said base for the purpose specified.

. 4. In a socket for a vacuum tube or the like having contact prongs, the combination With an insulation base having contact terminals, of universally yielding sockets conductively connected to said terminals and capable of engaging said prongs, so as to support said tube spaced apart from and out of physical contact With said base for the purpose specified. I

5. In a socket for a vacuum tube or the like having contact prongs, an insulation base having contact terminals, spring coils carried by said terminals and serving as sockets for said prongs, said coils being enlarged at their free ends to facilitate the passage of said prongs and capable of frictionally engaging the latter, so as to support the tube at an elevation from and out of physical contact With said base.

Signed at New York, N. Y. this day of December, 1921.

CHARLES A. FRIEDRICH. Witnesses: I

MAX D. ORDMANN, JOSEPH T. MCMAHON. 

